


CR2 Ficlets

by Crewe



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Ficlet Collection, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 00:18:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16843330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crewe/pseuds/Crewe
Summary: Two campaign 2 ficlets written not long after the campaign started:Fjord & Jester meeting as the two "monsters" in the party.Fjord saving Caleb's cat from a fire.





	1. Monsters

**Author's Note:**

> These are oooold but I realized they're my only writing that I never crossposted to ao3 and wanted to change that, so here they are conveniently collected.

There are monsters in this world.

Fjord knows this only too well. It’s a lesson he learned every day of his life, growing up blue and green with slits for pupils and pointed teeth that stick out when he smiles. He learned from the tales of passing bards, tales of grand heroes who slay monsters: beasts, not true beings, dangers to civilised folk and nothing more. Goblins and bugbears and gnolls and kobolds.

Orcs.

That word, monster, follows him, overheard from dark corners and sometimes thrown in his face (and sometimes words aren’t the only things thrown) but while Fjord never had the brute strength and rage they claim to be his birthright he is clever, and good with his words, and for all the sly (and brazen) aspersions cast on his parentage he was raised right. So he learns to talk his way out of trouble without lifting a hand, learns to smile without showing teeth, learns when to move on and when to flatter and how to lie and when that doesn’t work most of all he learns his lesson.

There are monsters in this world.

He makes a deal and perhaps it’s the most monstrous thing he’s ever done but it gives him power, and he may be clever but he’s not always smart. He learns a little magic–learns to change his appearance–and thinks that perhaps now he can make something of himself, make people see past the outside or better yet force them too and acknowledge him anyways. He sets his eyes on the Academy, where rich mages go to learn and a whisper in his mind tells him that their power is his for the taking, their respect as well, if he is brave enough to take it.

But Fjord is clever and good with words and a sword and he was raised right so he will do this the proper way, and he sets out to learn and better himself, to become so good they will have no choice but to admit him, or else to make enough money in the process that he can buy his spot. So he takes his sword and his leathers and goes out to prove something.

There are monsters in this world.

Fjord knew it when he went out to seek his destiny, and prepared himself to meet and defeat them, with both blade and word, but he was not prepared for the little blue Tiefling with big eyes and a curious accent, who greeted him, a stranger, with a wide, pointy-toothed smile and a cheerful, “Hello! I like your sword.”

Fjord could only blink, caught off guard, but he was raised right so he offered her a smile in return and polite, “Why thank you, miss.”

“You are welcome. It is very big. I bet you are very good with it, ah? Ah?” The Tiefling gave him multiple exaggerated winks and while Fjord was busy desperately trying to process the sudden swerve the conversation had taken, she giggled and continued straight on in a cheerful tone, “That was a joke! I am not interested. Though you are very handsome, you know.”

Blushing effusively, Fjord coughed out another thanks and the Tiefling stuck out one small, blue hand, beaming at him with all her pointed teeth.

“I am Jester! It is very nice to meet you, big green man. I think that we should be friends.”

And Fjord takes it all in, Jester in her dress with her curled horns poking out of her hair and her tail swishing merrily through the air and he feels a warmth in his chest that he didn’t realize he’d been missing, a feeling of kinship with this strange, half-mad Tiefling. He takes her small hand in his large one and when he smiles at her his lips curl back from his teeth.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Jester. The name’s Fjord. I think that’s a fine idea.”

There are monsters in this world.

They need to stick together.


	2. Frumpkin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fjord saves a slightly-singed Frumpkin.

This is what Caleb’s life has come to: a very contrite half-orc warlock gingerly cradling a slightly singed and very pissed off ginger cat, and the beginnings of a migraine.

“Well, y’see, there was an incident with a tree,” Fjord says, the picture of apology. “And some sacred flame.”

Well, Caleb thinks, this is what he gets for letting Jester play with Frumpkin.

“Jester assures me it was entirely an accident.” Fjord’s wry, weary tone can only imply many prior accidents.

He just figured it might get her out of his hair while he got some reading done, and he never suspected she might light his cat on fire.

“I got him out before any real damage was done, he’s just a tad pissed off.” Fjord winces as Frumpkin sinks his claws into his arm, then offers Caleb an awkward smile.

Caleb blinks, distracted from his mental lecture to Jester about fire safety and respecting other people’s pets, and fully takes in the picture in front of him.

Fjord’s armor has always been beat up, but Caleb thinks he can see scorch marks on the dark leather, and dark smudges on his hands and the exposed skin on his arms.

“Fjord,” he says, and Fjord’s jaw snaps shut as he looks at him with bright, golden eyes. “Did you climb into a burning tree to rescue my cat?”

Fjord ducks his head, shyly offering Frumpkin. “Well, I know how he’s important to you and all, and I remember how you were sayin’ it’s expensive to keep bringin’ him back–”

“Thank you,” Caleb cuts him off, opening his arms for Frumpkin to jump into. The cat immediately worms his way up onto his shoulders and flops down across his neck, radiating an air of disgruntlement.

But Caleb doesn’t notice, because he’s too busy looking at Fjord, who blushes in a way similar to yet different than Nott, and he thinks perhaps someone could write a book about the intricacies of Fjord blushing and he would most certainly have to make sure that Jester was not looking over his shoulder as he read it.

Before he can second-guess himself, he takes a quick step forward and stretches up on his toes to press his lips to the weathered skin of Fjord’s cheek, back and away before he can react.

Fjord’s eyes widen and for a moment Caleb is worried because it’s been a long time since he’s really seen anybody, much less seen anybody, and he’s worried he’s miscalculated, done something wrong, then the blush spreads further across Fjord’s face and a small, shy smile follows it.

Caleb can feel his own face heating and he smiles back.

Frumpkin grumbles in his ear and he quickly ducks away to fuss over him, his smile refusing to fall away.

Maybe he’ll go easy on Jester.


End file.
